Roberto Firmino
Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira (born 2 October 1991) is a Brazilian international footballer who plays as a forward for Liverpool. Liverpool career After a disappointing 2014-15 season for the attacking players at the club, with the senior strikers managing just 7 league goals combined, Brendan Rodgers was on the hunt for more attackers to add more goals to the team. On 23 June 2015, rumours began to emerge that Firmino was to sign for Liverpool amidst impressive performances for Brazil in the Copa America. A day later, the club confirmed that Firmino was to sign for the club, for a reported fee of £29,000,000. This made him the second most expensive player in the club's history. The Brazilian took the number 11 shirt, last worn by Oussama Assaidi. On 9 August 2015, Firmino made his competitive debut for the club, coming on for the final ten minutes in a 1-0 win at Stoke. After being featured as a substitute in the opening two games, on 24 August 2015, Firmino made his first start for the club, playing 63 minutes in a 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates. Five days later, he made his first start at Anfield, playing 60 minutes in a 3-0 defeat to West Ham. After 9 minutes, Firmino struck the post with a ferocious effort from 20 yards. In the next game, Firmino started on the right wing at Old Trafford against Manchester United, and missed a great chance from two yards to level the game when at 1-0. This was his last touch before he was subbed off after 65 minutes. On 28 October 2015, Firmino was named man of the match in a 1-0 win over Bournemouth. The Brazilian played a big part in the winning goal, playing a good ball through for Joao Carlos Teixeira, whose shot was cleared into the path of Nathaniel Clyne, who slotted it home. Three days later, Firmino started as the lone striker for Liverpool, playing 76 minutes in a 3-1 win at Chelsea. Firmino assisted Philippe Coutinho's equaliser, with a simple ball, allowing him to curl it in from the edge of the box. Five days later, Firmino assisted Jordon Ibe's winning goal at Rubin Kazan, slotting him through with a simple but incisive ball. On 21 November 2015, Firmino scored his first Liverpool goal in a 4-1 win at Man City, poking the ball into the net after a square ball from Philippe Coutinho. Firmino also picked up two assists in the game, one for an early own goal, and then an incisive through ball for Coutinho to score. After this however, Firmino went on a bit of a poor run, failing to net and getting just a single assist in his next 10 games. On 13 January 2016 however, his poor run ended as Firmino scored twice in a 3-3 draw against Arsenal. The first was a cool finish, the shot nutmegging the defender after Emre Can's shot was saved into his path. The second was a spectacular effort, curling it perfectly into the top corner from 20 yards. On 23 January 2016, Firmino netted another brace, this time in a 5-4 win at Norwich. The first was a good finish from an angle, with the keeper touching it onto the post. The second was a good finish in a one v one after a lovely ball from Adam Lallana to level it at 3-3. Just before, Firmino had assisted Jordan Henderson's goal with a lovely flick into his pass. Firmino continued his fine form in the false 9 position in a 2-2 draw against Sunderland, opening the scoring with a clinical header before assisting Adam Lallana for the second, after a great run. For his efforts, Firmino was awarded the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for January. On 14 February 2016, Firmino picked up yet another assist, this time for Emre Can's great effort. Firmino netted his 7th goal of the season on 2 March 2016, finishing coolly from close range to give the Reds a 3-0 lead over Manchester City. The Brazilian had previously assisted James Milner's goal, with a through ball into the penalty area. He netted again four days later, this time a very cool finish after wonderfully controlling a poor goal kick, equalising for the Reds in a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. On 10 March 2016, Firmino netted for the third game running, finishing well from close range to double Liverpool's lead in a 2-0 Europa League win over Manchester United. On 17 April 2016, Firmino scored his 10th goal of the season, tapping in to an empty net after a Daniel Sturridge backheel was saved to give Liverpool the lead in a 2-1 win at Bournemouth. On 5 May 2016, Firmino assisted Sturridge for Liverpool's second in a 3-0 win over Villarreal to take them to the 2016 Europa League Final. This was Firmino's 10th assist of the season. Three days later, Firmino grabbed his 10th Premier League goal of the season, and 11th overall, firing in a great finish from the edge of the box in a 2-0 win over Watford. Firmino grabbed his first goal of the 2016-17 season on 23 August 2016, heading in from a Nathaniel Clyne cross in a 5-0 win at Burton. On 10 September 2016, Firmino netted twice as Liverpool beat the reigning champions, Leicester City 4-1 at Anfield. The first was a lovely first touch to round a defender before placing the ball into the near post, wrong footing the goalkeeper. The second was much simpler, and open goal that still needed some quality control to avoid the defenders. On 1 October 2016, Firmino scored his fourth goal of the season, a deft header to equalise in a 2-1 win at Swansea. The Brazilian also won a penalty in the 82nd minute, which James Milner scored to give the Reds the win. On 29 October 206, Firmino netted his fifth goal of the season, and Liverpool's 4th in a 4-2 win at Crystal Palace, chipping the goalkeeper after a great through ball from Jordan Henderson. In the next game, Firmino scored Liverpool's fourth in a 6-1 win over Watford, tapping in from close range after an Adam Lallana cross. Firmino also assisted efforts for both Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane in the game. On 27 December 2016, Firmino ended a six game run without a goal by giving Liverpool the lead in an eventual 4-1 win over Stoke. The Brazilian then went a further six games scoreless, before firing in a brace in an eventual 3-2 defeat at home to Swansea. Spectacularly, another six game barren run went on before Firmino picked up the opening goal in a 3-1 win over Arsenal, before assisting Sadio Mane for the second. On 8 April 2017, Firmino came on as a second half substitute whilst 1-0 down at Stoke. He scored the winning goal with a thunderous dipping half volley from 30 yards to earn a vital three points in the hunt for a Champions League place. Firmino followed this up with another winner, this time at West Brom in his next game. With the signing of Mohamed Salah preferring the number 11 shirt, Firmino gave it up ahead of the 2017-18 season, taking on the famous number 9 jersey. Firmino started the season as the club's main striker, and made an impression on the opening day, scoring from the penalty spot and assisting Mohamed Salah's goal in a 3-3 draw with Watford. On 23 August 2017, Firmino put in one of his best performances in a Red shirt, in a 4-2 win over his former club Hoffenheim in the Champions League playoff, grabbing a goal and an assist. Four days later he followed it up with another top performance, scoring again and picking up another assist in a 4-0 win over Arsenal at Anfield. On 26 September 2017, he made his 100th Liverpool appearance, in a 1-1 draw at Spartak Moscow. After five games without a goal, Firmino netted twice, and picked up an assist in a 7-0 win away to Maribor on 17 October 2017. On 28 October, Firmino headed in his first League goal since August, Liverpool's second in a 3-0 win over Huddersfield. On 21 November 2017, Firmino netted a brace in a 3-3 draw in Sevilla. Just over a week later, he repeated this feat in a 5-1 win at Brighton, taking him to 11 goals for the season at the beginning of December. He added to this four days later, scoring the second in a 7-0 win over Spartak Moscow, to match his best ever season tally for the club after just 22 games. He beat this tally on 17 December, scoring the Reds’ fourth in a 4-0 win at Bournemouth. Honours Individual *PFA Fans' Player of the Month: 1 (January 2016) *Standard Chartered Player of the Month: 1 (January 2016) Stats Category:Current Players Category:Forwards